The invention relates particularly to improvements in the actuating or foot tread trigger mechanism used with rotating frame type traps. By a rotating frame type trap, this refers to the trap which is often recognized as the "Conibear" trap in which a pair of similar frames, which may be of a generally square or rectangular shape, are pivotally connected at adjacent sides for relative rotation on a common axis to form by their pairs of sides pairs of co-acting jaws. At least one actuator, consisting of a coil spring having arms terminating in closed rings, has the rings slidable along and encircling one set of adjacent sides of the frames, and it is this actuator that is used to urge the jaws toward each other when the trap is sprung, and it is the actuator that maintains these jaws in a "closed" or locked position. In the patent to Conibear, 3,010,245, dated Nov. 28, 1961, such a rotating frame trap is described in which the sides cooperate with the rings and are shaped so that in the "set" position of the trap, these sides lie substantially parallel to each other, while the central portions of these sides near the common axis of the frame form a cross with each other within the rings on the arms of the coil spring or actuator. A trigger means (for example as described in the above-mentioned patent to Conibear or in the U.S. Pat. to Lehn, No. 2,947,107, issued Aug. 2, 1960), maintains the frames in an open position when the trap is "set", but when the trap is sprung, releases the frames so as to permit, as a result of the action of the spring and the rings on the ends, rapid rotation of the frames through an angle of about 90.degree., so that the jaws quickly strike and rapidly kill the animal in the trap.
A standard commercial trigger mechanism presently associated with rotating traps is described in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,107. Essentially, this patent describes a trigger mechanism comprising two prongs adapted to project inwardly toward the center of an open, "set" trap which prongs are fixedly connected to a sleeve rotatably connected to one of the ends of one of the frames of the trap. A bar rotatably mounted on the second frame on the end opposite the first sleeve bar, the trap is in the set position, has a notch therein adapted to releasably fit over the first frame to a slot in the sleeve, the bar thereby releasably holding the trap frames in open "set" position against the bars of the actuator. When the prongs are moved, for example, by an animal passing through the open trap "set" trap, they rotate the sleeve, the bar is thereby dislodged, permitting the trap to close; other notches, spaced along the bar, permit the adjusting of the pressure as desired. The trigger mechanism of the above-identified patent to Lehn suffers from disadvantages in that the two prongs projecting into the center of the trap act as a deterrent to animals passing through the trap since animals dislike pushing or brushing against projections because it makes noise and may damage their fur. Of course, the noise-creating feature is undesirable, since the animal will immediately react to the noise since it may warn their enemies or prey of their presence. Further, a two-prong trigger is not effective for all animals, for example, relatively large animals might push against the prongs and spring the trap before the animal got very far into the trap and accordingly the trap would be ineffective. Additionally, relatively small animals might slide around the ends of the prongs and thereby move through the trap without actuating the trap. Other disadvantages of trap-triggering mechanisms occur since this type of mechanism is subject to freezing due, for example, to moisture or rust impacting the relatively tight fit of the sleeve and the bar on the respective sides of the trap. Thus, the traps, at times, are ineffective. Moreover, when a rotating frame trap having large actuator springs, for strong initial striking power of the jaws, is used, the moving parts of the trigger mechanism have a tendency to bite into each other because of the extreme pressure present when the trap is "set", thus making it difficult to release the trap. However, prongs of a length too great to be practical, would be required to afford the necessary leverage to release the trap and overcome this problem. The various types of lever mechanisms or trigger mechanisms are used on rotating traps in addition to that of the U.S. Pat. to Conibear, No. 3,010,245, and the Lehn U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,107. For example, the additional prior art, of which the applicant is aware and believes to be pertinent, is as follows: Olson 879,668 Conibear 2,068,656 Taylor 2,333,828 Oberto 2,741,065 Glass et al 3,120,958 Conibear 3,797,162 Benz 3,855,724
It is an object of the present invention to provide in combination with a rotating frame type animal trap, a trigger assembly cooperating with such a trap and defining an animal "run" which is likely to ensure that the animal will be in a vulnerable position with respect to the jaws or transverse ends of the trap when the trap is sprung. It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel trigger assembly defining the animal "run" in which a conventional "Conibear" rotating frame type animal trap can be converted to the type which conveniently defines an animal "run" and which is effective to trap and catch the animal and either hold it in a relatively harmless position and condition or rapidly kill the animal in a humane manner.